The Pilgrimage, Days 1-3

Okay, you were warned that this was coming. Be prepared for way too many photos laced between my usual fractured prose as I try to chronicle my recent trip to Italy and Bosnia. In the way of recap, this trip was supposed to happen October 2023 and involved a trip to Israel and Italy. You may have heard about a fairly robust disagreement in Israel around that time. The war caused a last-minute postponement of the planned trip. Since it wasn’t much better this year, the travel agency substituted a trip to a sacred site in Bosnia for Israel. To be perfectly honest I wasn’t that excited about this trip but owed my Favorite Panamanian for my dream trip to Ireland and Scotland earlier this year. It turned out to be a fantastic trip that I thoroughly enjoyed. We were part of a church group emanating from our former church in Charlton. They turned out to be a special bunch which made the trip so much fun. It included Father Bob, our beloved former parish priest who at 88 was still spry and entertaining. So here goes, in this post I’ll cover the first three days of the trip after our arrival in Italy.

At St Paul's

Day 1 – Sleepwalking Basilicas

We were scheduled on an evening flight out of Boston direct to Rome. There were a couple of delays so our 5:30 departure didn’t take place until 9pm. That allowed a dinner with the last burger I ate for two weeks, a long time filled with pasta and pizza. We didn’t sleep on the flight and we ran into dawn as we crossed the Irish coast. Later, as we flew over the Alps I snuck a look out the window (which were supposed to be closed) and saw a very cool sight. There was a thick blanket of clouds with only the Matterhorn peak sticking out. It felt very Paramount (yep, still a movie nut). Our first glimpse of the Italian countryside was surprising as everything was agricultural and very green. The Rome airport was also surprising as I expected something much larger and modern. We were bused to the terminal from the plane. At the terminal we met Flavia, our blonde, blue eyed guide for the time in Italy. She was a native Roman and was fantastic.

First View of Italy

Wife About to Step into Italy

Our First Stop

On our way into Rome from the airport we passed over the legendary Tiber River for the first time. I was surprised how small it was compared to my expectations. Our first stop was the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. This is one of the four major basilicas of Rome about and we were scheduled to visit all four The basilica was founded 1800 years ago by the Emperor Constantine I over the burial place of Paul of Tarsus, where it was said that, after his execution, followers erected a memorial. Most of his body is still supposed to be there. His head is at another basilica (these are the things you learn on a pilgrimage). Oh yeah, this was also a pilgrimage (see church group reference above). I am now a certified pilgrim. About that head, I learned that when Nero beheaded Paul, his head bounced three times after it was cut off. For that reason, three fountains were eventually erected at the execution place. See, pilgrims learn the cool stuff.

Typical Roman Trees

Basilica of St Paul

Flavia

St Paul

Holy Doors, Only Opened Every 25 Years

Entry Hall

We had our first meal at the basilica gift shop, a small pizza. I also learned the proper way to pay from the funny waiter. I tried handing the cash directly to him and he gave me an exasperated look before vigorously grabbing the money. I was supposed to lay the money in a tray on the counter. When the next customer did it correctly, he looked at me and smiled and we shared a laugh together. My education continued. The basilica is called outside the walls because, well, it’s located outside the walls of ancient Rome. Burials were not allowed inside the walls during that time. Flavia was getting her introduction into trying to keep track of our very independent group. I told her about the American expression of herding cats. While we were there, a group of highly decorated Mexican women showed up and started dancing. They were also on a pilgrimage (lot of that going around) and the dance was a demonstration of how they pray in their town. My Favorite Panamanian, since it involved praying and dancing, loved it.

Main Hall

Portraits of Every Pope

Remains of St Paul

After leaving this basilica we headed into Rome for another of the four major basilicas, Saint Mary Maggiore, located on the Esquiline Hill. I was a little frustrated as we passed by several obviously ancient ruins but Flavia was decisively engaged with answering questions from an energized Father Bob, who was very excited to be back in Rome where he went to college. We went through the aforementioned ancient walls of Rome, something that happened a lot. The Roman traffic was every bit as crazy as advertised but somehow kept moving. At every traffic light a herd of scooters wove through the larger vehicles to be first at the light. Rome was a little disappointing in only one regard, the pervasive graffiti. It seemed like every single building, including historical ones, were covered with graffiti as high as you could reach. It felt if you stayed in one place too long you would be painted. It was a shame that the beautiful city was encumbered by this unsightly mess.

Obelisk Outside St Mary's

Outside St Mary's

Looking the Other Way

St Mary's Holy Door

Main Hall

The basilica of Saint Mary was erected 1700 years ago to mark the canonization of Jesus’ mother. Legend has it an early Christian Roman nobleman dreamed about Mary who told him she would mark where the basilica should be built. That night, at the height of Roman summer, snow covered an area on the hill where the basilica was eventually built. Underneath the altar the purported crib of Jesus from the manger is located. There is also a Sistine Chapel within.  There was a large obelisk located outside which seemed like a requirement for every important building in Rome. A very simple tomb was located inside the basilica. It marked the final resting place of the famous sculptor and architect, Bernini. After creating so many fabulous statues and buildings, it was interesting that he chose such a simple tomb.

Scenes Inside St Mary's

Chapel Where we Had Mass

Remains of the Manger

Bernini's Simple Tomb

While we were on our pilgrimage we attended mass every day. Father Bob was usually recruited to oversee the mass, and it was cool that we had one in one of the chapels within the basilica. After the basilica, we headed for our hotel which was nice, despite the omnipresent graffiti it was decorated with. At this point we’d been awake for over thirty hours, but we still had our first dinner awaiting us. Flavia had us walk a short distance down the street from the hotel to a small restaurant. The food was excellent and kept coming. I was reminded fondly of Soxfather’s mom who was famous for doing the same thing. It’s an Italian thing. In a major development, which thoroughly shocked my Favorite Panamanian, I started drinking wine at dinner. A dedicated beer drinker I told her that I had decided to drink wine in Rome. When she asked why, I told her, “When in Rome”. You are authorized to groan at this point.

Father Bob Conducting Mass

Our Hotel

First Dinner in Rome

Day 2 – Rainy Big Guy

We had an early wakeup call this day because we were scheduled for arguably the biggest event of our trip, an audience with the Pope. Flavia had us get up early so we could be near the head of the line at the Vatican for the weekly Wednesday audience in St Peter’s Square. We drove through a pre-dawn Rome, crossed the Tiber and parked outside the walls of the Vatican (a spot which I’d last seen in a Mission Impossible movie when Tom Cruise broke into the Vatican). I was doubting Flavia when we arrived at the entry point and dove into a literal sea of people. It turns out, the Square is immense, and we were still able to get great seats. I was truly impressed walking into the iconic location, scene of so much history.

Line to Get In

Wife is Ready

First View of St Peter's Square

A Very Happy Catholic

We had seats right next to the path the Popemobile would pass by as the huge square steadily filled with people. About twenty minutes before the Pope was scheduled to show, a group of American ladies boldly walked right in front of our seats to take up position at the barricade. My Favorite Panamanian spent the ensuing twenty minutes lecturing them on their rudeness. They eventually bonded and my wife was given a spot right at the barricade. The Pope appeared right on schedule and I was able to watch his progress on a nearby huge tv screen. I was touched with how authentic the Pope was. He stopped frequently to pick up babies from the audience and bless them personally in his arms. He eventually reached out position and passed barely five feet from us. So close, I was able to make eye contact with him, which was kind of cool. My wife was beside herself with joy being so close to the pontiff.

Waiting for His Arrival

And There He Is!

Eye Contact

Wife Very Excited

The papal service that followed was special. Everything was done in French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Italian, and Arabic (so it took a while). There was a light rain falling at times which my precipitation-averse spouse never minded (it took a Pope to make that happen). It made me reflect on the state of the world. Here were all these people from across the globe united and happily celebrating together. Maybe there is hope. After receiving our blessing from the Pope we moved over to the Vatican parish church where Father Bob delivered our daily mass (again, pretty cool).

Papal Service

Where we Had Mass

This was followed by lunch and shopping. My Favorite Panamanian was in seventh heaven to be surrounded by religious souvenir ships. Lunch was a true adventure as we walked into a small restaurant, Trattoria Marcelo, just outside the Vatican walls. The adventure came from the proprietors. It was obviously a family run business and the son and father spent the entire time we were there yelling at each other across the seating area. I genuinely thought they were coming to come to blows at a couple points. The rain picked up seriously following lunch which washed out our scheduled trips to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. Since there was no Pope involved, my wife agreed with the cancellation.

Lunch Time

Let the Shopping Commence

Walking Through Rain to Bus

Wall That Tom Climbed

I misjudged the time we were told to assemble in the hotel lobby for dinner but there just so happened to be a bar located adjacent to the lobby. Go figure. I had my first Italian beer there, a Peroni, which was pretty good. I still stuck to wine at dinner though. During our wait in the bar my Favorite Panamanian convinced the bartender to create a special drink for her that turned out to be pretty potent. That resulted in a noticeable increase in her talkativeness. She’s never short of conversational ability, which made it funny to have her apologizing to the group for talking so much. I, unadvisedly, commented that, “Yeah, that’s so out of character” which earned me a spousal dagger look. Another very fun dinner with our group. For the second dinner in a row, we had bacon laced pasta (count me a fan of this).

Crossing the Tiber

The Baths of Cafracalla

Streets Passing Through the Ancient Walls

That First Beer

Day 2 Dinner

Day 3 – Underground Streets and Heady Basilica

The day dawned with continued heavy rain which was problematic since we were scheduled for some outdoor activities. While on the bus, the group entreated Father Bob to say a prayer for better weather. He complied and we were a little in awe over the rest of our trip. Despite being a rainy part of the year, we didn’t see another rain drop for the rest of our trip. I was excited about the morning schedule since it was heavily slated for visits to ancient Rome sites. Our first stop was the minor Basilica of Saint Clement. This place, a short walk from the Colosseum, was fascinating. It had an opening to two levels below the street which had excavated streets of ancient Rome. There was a temple of Mithras and numerous artifacts from pre-Christian Rome. I was so in my element actually walking in an ancient Roman neighborhood, including a mint. There was an interesting small chapel dedicated to the Russian patron saint, Cyril. Apparently Saint Cyril transported the body of martyred St Clement back to Rome from the Black Sea to earn that.

First View of the SPQR

St Clément's

Underground

Ancient Frescoes

St Cyril's Chapel

Ancient Roman Street

Temple of Mithras

Inside the Mint

St Clément's Celling

Emerging into prayer induced sunshine, we walked down to the Colosseum. We had a small snack break where I sat over the ruins of a gladiatorial training school, way cool. I was stoked to be at the iconic symbol of ancient Rome. The Colosseum was impressive. We were left on our own for a couple hours so I made the most of it by charging around the area with a very tolerant wife. She could tell how excited I was. We took in the Arch of Constantine and the nearby Basilica of Saint Francis. I was hoping to walk through the ancient Roman Forum but the line to get in was too long. I walked to a nearby vantage point so I could see this famous center of ancient Rome.

Gladiator School

Colosseum!!!!

S.P.Q.R. Still in Use

The Gladiator Training Ring

Inside St Francis'

Arch of Constantine

The Forum!

Following lunch we headed to our next major basilica, the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, built by Constantine (that guy got around). This was the former home of the Pope before the Vatican. It included the tombs of six or more popes. It was an impressive building. It includes the heads of both Saint Peter and Saint Paul (remember the missing head from the first basilica). The place was huge and even impressed Saint Francis. He famously reacted to seeing it the first time and there is an impressive statue of him nearby capturing that moment. The basilica had immense doors which I was fascinated to learn were the original doors from the Roman Senate. I stopped and imagined Julius Caesar walking through them. Yep, I’m a geek about ancient Rome. There was another obelisk, this one from even more ancient Egypt in the courtyard.

St Francis Statue

Outside St John's

Flavia Briefing Us

Wife with Father Bob

Famous Statue of Constantine

Former Senate Doors

Inside St John's

The Two Heads

Egyptian Obelisk

We then walked down the street to Basilica of Saint Croce of Gerusalem. This was a fascinating place dedicated to relics from the Passion of the Christ. It was built by the mother of Constantine, Saint Helena. She claimed to have recovered the following relics which are housed there: two thorns from the crown Jesus wore on the cross, a nail from the crucifixion, the sign nailed to the cross, and a piece of the cross itself. There is also the supposed finger bone of the Apostle Saint Thomas (for all you doubters out there).

St Croce

The Reliquary

The Relics

The Finger

The Nail

The Thornes

Piece of the Cross

The Sign

The Finger

Fun Dinner

The Restaurant

We walked down the street from the hotel later to attend our daily mass at the local Italian parish church. I didn’t understand a single word of the service but I’m, told it counts. Somehow my Favorite Panamanian attempted to communicate with an Italian lady after the service. The distraught woman claimed to have no money for food and wanted my wife to talk with the parish priest. It’s what she does. We walked next to our dinner location. The location looked kind of sketchy but was a lot of fun. The restaurant was famous for hosting various writers during their time in Rome which reminded me of my daughter. I sent some more wine downrange which at this point was a certifiable trend. Another great day.

One movie fell in the A-Z watch, a definite keeper: Memento, just love this crazy noir film that could be classified as a tragi-comedy, arguably Nolan’s best movie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Clear And Present

I know. You were all expecting my first post back in the States would involve a laborious re-telling of my latest European adventure. Not to worry, that is certainly coming. I lay awake in bed this morning, fighting jet lag and I couldn’t go back to sleep because my mind kept wandering to tomorrow’s election. I know. Weird. Really, not so much. There has not been an election since the Great Depression when more is at stake for this country. I should lead into this by saying I love this country more than is probably healthy. I served, in unform, for more than a quarter of a century which only embellished that love. I see that country now under attack from within by a clear and present danger to our way of life.

One of the greatest mysteries of the twenty-first century is how Donald Trump continues to garner the support he does. I have friends, good, honest people who continue to support him and I cannot understand it. I can understand the frustration with the federal government, but trust me, it’s a better system than exists in human history. I’m a lifelong Republican and shudder to think of being forced to vote for a left-wing democrat, again. I wrote back in 2016, when he was elected, that I had enough faith in the country and its institutions that we could survive a Trump presidency. Now, I’m not so sure and honestly believe he represents that clear and present danger, in large part because of the damage he’s done in the ensuing years.

This is the list of things I do not understand how the Trumpsters can’t see and actually forgive.

-Trump does not have any problem telling blatant lies. A leader must have credibility.

-Trump puts himself and his interests ahead of the country. A leader, and certainly a president, cannot do this.

-Trump surrounds himself with sycophants because he cannot bear anyone disagreeing with him. Think about how dangerous that is.

-Trump approaches his political career as a business opportunity, as it has given him the opportunity to fleece his followers into donating to him to help address his self-inflicted legal woes.. A leader cannot abuse his constituents in this manner.

-Trump takes no responsibility for his actions. A leader must!

-Trump was not a business “genius”, he was known for bankruptcies, being massively litigious, and not paying his bills. Think about that.

-Trump is a danger to our national security and this is what scares me the most. Think about how hard Putin and the Russian internet troll farms are working to get him re-elected. Ask yourself why. Putin is a cold warrior and sees the USA as his lifelong enemy. He sees what Trump has done to the country in dividing us. At best it is only because of this. At worse he’s appealed to Trump’s narcissistic side so effectively in the past that he knows he can play him. The most clear and present foreign danger to western democracy likes Trump in the White House, again, think about that.

-Trump has no personal loyalty. I was heartened by some his initial hires in his presidency, some good men. All those good men, having seen him operate, label him as unfit for the presidency.

-January 6^th. How can we forget or forgive that day? Trump claims it was a peaceful expression. Really!? I’ve never been more shocked or more frightened for my country than on that day and he was responsible, despite all the blatant lies he now foments about that day of infamy.

-Trump has launched an ongoing attack on two of our most vital institutions, elections and the judicial system. He has never offered proof of widespread election fraud, but his followers still fall in line with his lies. He claims the judicial system is politicized against him, despite his lifelong practice of using it to lubricate his business dealings and scare off creditors.

-Trump’s attacks on immigrants is pandering to our fears. We are a nation of immigrants. In the military some of my best Soldiers were immigrants. After my military career, I loved hiring immigrants because I knew they would work harder. They came here to find the American dream and believed in it. I know there are fringe elements that cause problems. Congress had a bipartisan bill to reform our broken immigration system. Trump killed it because it would be a political liability for him. Again, himself before the country, always.

-Trump is a massive step back for empowering women. If you have daughters or granddaughters, how you can even think about supporting him?

-Trump is a clear and present danger to our way of life. I do not say that lightly. I believe it. I know you can like his anti-establishment stance, but do you really want to see the level of damage another Trump presidency will render? I know most ardent Trumpsters didn’t read past the first paragraph, truth is not something they tolerate well. If you haven’t decided yet and you’re going to vote tomorrow. Think about what I’ve written, but more about what you can see for yourself as he offers daily more evidence why he should never be allowed anywhere near the White House again. Know that it will be a little painful for me to vote democrat but when I think of the alternative, it becomes clear. We will not be the same country if Trump is allowed back in power, and it won’t be a better version.

I'll still love my friends who support him because that is what we, as Americans, seemed to have forgotten. We can disagree politically but we're still in this together. 

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch (before I left), both keepers: Meet the Parents, a little dated but still funny to see DeNiro going after Stiller and Meg, a fun Statham action vehicle.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Pre-Deployment Day

So, this will be the last post in October. This is happening not because I have writer’s block (you’re not that lucky). I’m boarding a plane for Italy to hang out with the Bishop of Rome for a few days. I’m really excited about the opportunity to attend mass every day (okay, that would be my Favorite Panamanian, not I, the accidental Catholic). We’ve been going through the last minute packing details as I try to address all the administrative details (read bill paying) that will happen during our absence. I’m a little sad to be leaving New England at my favorite time of year. The foliage colors have arrived here decisively and I doubt Rome will boast anything to rival it. One of those administrative tasks was denuding a large part of my wife’s vast garden complex as the plants have started their autumnal die off. I should be more excited about this trip since I am a lifelong super-fan of ancient Rome. I keep remining myself that I owe this trip to my wife for our earlier trip to Ireland and Scotland (my lifelong dream).

My Very Lucky Son with the Birthday Girl

The Lucky Granddaughters

All, So Photogenic

While we’re gone, (well tomorrow) we’ll miss celebrating the birthday of the family’s greatest athlete (my son just issued one of his trademark frustrated exhalations), the ABFA. We are so lucky to have acquired the ABFA as daughter in law. Of course, all the credit there goes to my Favorite Son. She’s balancing her athletic career with motherhood and business career, excelling at all. I don’t know how easy it is for an outsider to enter our family, but the ABFA has made it look easy, convincing us we’re the lucky ones. The BRS and BR3 are so fortunate to have such an excellent role model in their mom. She continues to score touchdowns each weekend as well for her flag football team as well as continuing her chocaholic ways.

In N.J. The FBR Wins a Doughnut Eating Contest

Scaled Down Garden Complex

Seven movies fell in the A-Z watch (!), all keepers: Maze Runner The Death Cure, satisfying conclusion of trilogy; McClintock, one of my favorite John Wayne movies; Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, pure sketch movie by the boys, some work, others not so much, still Python funny; The Mechanic, perfect vehicle for Staham; Mechanic Resurrection, still good with Alba in a bikini, what’s not to like; Meet Joe Black, for some reason just love this movie, feels almost lyrical to me; and Meet the Robinsons, Disney smile-a-lot animation, love the line about the big head and short arms,

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Beefing Up

We’re in the middle of prep week prior to our hopefully epic trip back to Europe next week. I haven’t been back to Europe twice in a year since the late 1970s. I can “thank” Hamas for their ill-advised attack on Israel last year. Originally, we were supposed to travel to Israel and Italy in late October. It’s all about the timing, as military doctrine once advised. The area blew up two weeks before we were scheduled to arrive. The travel agency postponed the trip for a year, but it isn’t a whole lot better this year as the Israelis and their Iranian backed foes continue to exchange jabs. The trip was morphed into a tour of Italy and the Balkans. It’s a church-based tour which includes attending mass daily, so, very excited 😊. My Favorite Panamanian is over the moon with that last factoid. I’m being tolerant since she suffered through the weather of Ireland and Scotland for my dream trip earlier this year.

Stickered Voters

She’s already packed and unpacked the luggage twice. If there’s ever an Olympic sport for suitcase packing, she would be a gold medalist favorite. I’m not sure why but she revels in the opportunity to pack (I’m sure Freud would have something to say about that). As soon as we’re back from this trip she’ll start packing for our end of year trip back to Panama. We were struggling to decide on what our big meal of the week was going to be. Instead of cooking a big lunch each day, she prepares a large one on Monday and we eat the leftovers for the rest of the week; so much simpler. Anyway, this week I spotted a large roast beef in the store which brought back memories of my youth when this was one of the staples of my mother’s table. My Favorite Panamanian scored a recipe from the internet and I’ve been in heaven all week savoring her first ever roast beef. So there.

Addition to the Man Cave
Found License Plates From our Time in the Military

My wife and I are now official voters in the 2024 presidential election. Since we get back just a couple days before election day we opted to do the mail-in vote thing. That was remarkably easy and we even got a couple stickers to prove we’re voters. Now we can join the rest of America in praying for the results. I guess that daily mass thing is looking better. I’m still mystified for the continued support for Trump. He tells blatant lies and gets a pass. I still believe in honor and he has none. I’m not happy voting for a liberal democrat but if he’s the alternative, there is no other decision to be made. He continues to deny being the architect for the single most serious attack on our form of government in recorded history, January 6. We cannot afford four more years of chaos and hopefully the Republican Party can emerge from whatever fog he’s submerged them in. 

FBR Facetiming Last Night, Fireworks Behind Her

Then Confetti

And Balloons

We spoke with the FBR and my daughter last night, or I should say, I tried to talk with them. The FBR has discovered how to elicit special effects on the iPad using hand gestures. The attached photos show a couple of them. When her abuela saw this, it became a contest between the two of them, which made a rational conversation between the two adults (my daughter and I) difficult. At least they had some fun with it.

Five movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: Matrix Reloaded, not as great as first one but still awesome; Matrix Revolutions, satisfying if very sad end to original trilogy; Matrix Resurrections, so fun to see the original cast back after so many years; Maze Runner, when you knew Dylan O’Brien was going to be a star; Maze Runner The Scorch Trials, epic sequel to the Maze Runner.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course

Jersey Jaunt

We arrived late last night from our latest trip to my daughter’s home in New Jersey. We made a belated attempt to celebrate her birthday as she was decisively engaged during both the weekends since that event took place. Wingman wasn’t present since he’s out on the Left Coast preparing for a couple Las Vegas concerts his band will participate in. That left it to my Favorite Panamanian and I to ensure our favorite daughter’s birthday was properly recognized. In a phone conversation earlier in the week the FBR declared that we had to come on Friday instead of the planned Saturday. Unbeknownst to us, our daughter perpetuated the story we would be coming on Saturday, so we could surprise the FBR. She shouldn’t have been surprised since it is well known we can deny our granddaughters literally nothing.

Lunch, Sans Wingman, at Wingman's Restaurant

That meant, of course, a mid-day trip through my traffic nemesis, the State of Connecticut. That nefarious environment exacted its usual pound of flesh, in the form of the usual delays on the Merritt Parkway even though there were no accidents or construction closures. It was just Connecticut. We only lost 45 minutes to these delays, which isn’t bad for a trip through the Nutmeg State. Upon arrival our daughter greeted us and then returned to her lair (attic office space) to finish up her workday. We then departed for the FBR’s school where we successfully surprised the FBR as she walked out. She emitted a scream and leapt into her abuela’s arms, which did nothing positive for her surgically repaired knee, but again, we can deny granddaughters, etc. etc.

FBR Surprised

We accomplished the Family Facetime, pizza night and movie night in one fell sweep. Before all that action though, the FBR insisted on taking us on a walk around the block. She recently became friends with a couple, very outgoing neighborhood cats who seemed to be waiting for her arrival. We made three different trips there over the weekend. She loves animals. Before we cranked up the movie, we revealed my Favorite Panamanian’s latest birthday cake creation, dedicated to our daughter’s love of reading. I committed a family faux pas by forgetting to bring Bonecrusher with me, so she had to slice the cake with a mere knife (very unsettling).

Mother and Daughter on the "Cat Walk"

FBR with her Quarry

3 Generations of Beauty

Birthday Cake Time

Birthday Guirl with her Mom and Daughter

Back to the Cats on Saturday

One of the highlights of the weekend for me was the time I got to spend with the birthday girl exploring movies. She showed me a great NYC-centric flick called Mistress America which was incredibly funny. She also shared a Netflix series called Nobody Wants This, which had me literally bouncing on the couch laughing. We only saw a couple episodes, but we’ll finish it here. It has a typical L.A. gal falling for a rabbi and the immediate war that entails with their families. Way, way too funny, one of the best written shows I’ve seen in a long time.

On Saturday we were supposed to be exposed to the anticipated splendor of the FBR’s cheerleading squad. That, however, failed to materialize as the football game was canceled. We filled in the gap by patronizing Wingman’s restaurant. This was our first chance to experience what has been the driving force in his life for the last year. He joined us via Facetime from the wrong coast and I could tell he was a little bummed not to be with us for this first visit. It is a game-based eatery and was doing great business while we were there. They’ve obviously established a great vibe as there were several family groups eating while enjoying playing board games with each other. This led to the FBR challenging me to a game of Battleship which I hadn’t played in more than fifty years.

Outside Wingman's Restaurant

My Lunch Buddy

Battleship!!!

The next planned event had me running for cover. The ladies decided some clothes shopping for the FBR was needed. The success of my marriage is based largely on never going shopping together. My wife takes it entirely too seriously, loving every minute spent and I hate it with a white-hot passion. So. I volunteered to mow my daughter’s lawn while they spent a very, very long time shopping. I considered it a bullet successfully dodged. My Favorite Panamanian’s credit card was not so lucky but the smiles on their faces, especially the FBR’s, was worth whatever it cost. We ended the day with a meal my wife spent a couple days making at the request of the birthday girl, arroz con pollo (the national dish of Panama).

2d Gen Curbsiders Waiting

Very Fun Dinner Crowd

Characters, All of Them

Sunday was a fairly quiet day starting out with all of us attending mass and then breakfast at our favorite diner. My daughter had a bunch of pre-FBR-school-week duties to take care of while the FBR had been promised time with her neighborhood friends. This allowed me to take up my usual autumnal coach potato position for NFL football. In a major blow to my personal calm, they do not have the NFL Red Zone, but I somehow survived, watching an entertaining game with Wingmom. Last evening we walked around the block to their favorite restaurant for a very fun dinner with one of the other Curbside Girls resident in Maplewood along with her kids. We hadn’t seen her in a very long time, having known her since our Carlisle days. There was a bit of a wait, but it was fun catching up with her and watching the three 2d Gen Curbsiders enjoy each other’s company. We hit the road for home as the FBR’s bedtime arrived. My daughter said it would make that event less taxing if the FBR knew we had already departed. So, I was up against Connecticut again, but it seemed surprised at our late night appearance and only mounted token resistance. A great weekend spent with some really special people.

Four movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: Mask of Zorro, enjoyable remake of that classic character, and a young Zeta-Jones, Wow, just Wow; Masters of the Universe, love this movie because of the connection with my son, who worshipped He-Man when he was very young; The Matador, Perce Brosnan as an alcoholic failing assassin befriending a befuddled businessman, very funny dark comedy; and the Matrix, groundbreaking, possibly best sci fi movie ever made.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course